Samsung announced today that it will begin selling its new 360-degree camera in-stores and online starting tomorrow for $229.
Across the pond, the phone had been available for pre-order for £219, or just over $283, so this is actually a smudge cheaper than some were expecting. Even though the company’s last iteration was priced at $349, those with a thrifty eye could easily find the device available for $170 new from certain online retailers.
Spec-wise the camera isn’t a huge improvement over the last. It’s gone from “near-4K” to “true 4K” video (2K while live-streaming) and its kept the 15 megapixel resolution for still photos.
The most notable shift on the latest model is that the device loses its spherical shape in favor of one that has a bit more of a handle that users can hold. Samsung highlighted the new model’s “pocketable design” when it briefly showed off the device at Unpacked this year alongside its latest Galaxy phones.
Speaking of the S8 and S8+, if you plan on picking one up in the imminent future, you’ll have the option of picking up one of these cameras for just $49. You’ll need to purchase the phone between tomorrow and June 19, 2017 to qualify. More details here.
The device launching at a retail price $120 less than its previous iteration shows how aggressively Samsung is needing to price these devices in order to get them into people’s hands. Despite tons of startups and large companies getting behind 360-degree cameras early-on, there still hasn’t seemed to be quite that much consumer excitement. Even a form factor change like adding a handle, shows that Samsung is still very much learning how people fundamentally use these devices.
The new Gear 360 is available to purchase tomorrow in-store and online at Best Buy, Amazon, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon and U.S. Cellular, Samsung and through the ShopSamsung app.